Armie Hammer Joins Alicia Vikander In ‘Freakshift’

EXCLUSIVE: Armie Hammer will star with Alicia Vikander in the Ben Wheatley-directed Freakshift, the action thriller about a band of misfit cops who hunt down and kill nocturnal underground monsters. She’s the lead female protagonist and Hammer plays her love interest, with production gearing up for August. This marks a quick re-team with Wheatley. Hammer co-stars in his new film, Free Fire, the Brie Larson-starrer that bows in the U.S. on April 21 through A24. Sam Riley, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy and Jack Reynor also star.

Wheatley wrote the script with Amy Jump, and Wheatley’s longtime producer Andrew Starke produces via their Rook Films banner. IMR is handling international rights to the title, with Riverstone Pictures and Film4 financing.

Hammer’s on a good run. He’s coming off Nocturnal Animals, and aside from Free Fire, he voices Jackson Storm in Cars 3 for Disney. He received strong festival notices for Call Me By Your Name, the Luca Guadagnino-directed drama that played Sundance and Berlin, with Sony Pictures Classics releasing November 24. He was also at the Berlin Film Festival with the Stanley Tucci-directed Final Portrait, starring opposite Geoffrey Rush. He just wrapped Hotel Mumbai, the Anthony Maras-directed drama that stars Dev Patel, with The Weinstein Company releasing.

WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern rep Hammer.